The group on Monday (16 December) confirmed plans for 21 new hotels had been given the green light.

These include nine in China, three in Thailand, two in Indonesia, two in Cambodia, two in the Maldives, two in Vietnam and one in the Philippines. It will grow Tui’s hotel portfolio in the region to 39.

The hotels will be designed to cater to a wide range of different customers, predominantly under the Tui Blue brand.

However, some of the properties will be Tui Suneo hotels, catering to more price-conscious travellers, while a new offering is being created for more luxury stays.

Asia is very attractive – for Tui as a hotelier and in future also as a tour operator with package holidays as an export hit,” said group chief executive Sebastian Ebel.

“We offer holiday packages for guests from Europe in the Far East and attract travellers from Asia who spend their holiday in the region.

Ebel added that by doubling Tui’s hotel presence in the region, it would help broaden its current customer base and make the group less reliant on business from Europe.

Tui debuted four new hotels in Asia in September, three in China and another in Malaysia. It has also added extra winter flights to Thailand from Gatwick and Manchester.

Elsewhere, Tui in June signalled an increased emphasis on sub-Saharan Africa with a cluster of new hotels options in Zanzibar and others in Senegal and Gambia.